Are you looking to expand your business from one location to multiple locations around the state or even the entire nation? One highly profitable way to grow would be to franchise your business. Do you need help in analyzing whether your business is ideal for franchising? Meet Geoffrey Hassan, an oGoing member, and the Franchising expert.

1. Can you tell us about you and your business?

Franchise Development Group is unique in that we help successful businesses go through the entire franchise process: from the initial business expansion consultation to see if franchising makes sense for your business model through all the legal requirements which we help you meet, documentation of your business model with operations and marketing manuals so that your business may be successfully duplicated, marketing of your business opportunity to potential buyers and the follow through to franchisee sales. Once you have started the process, we give you the tools to grow and manage your franchise system. We know from our clients that just the process of franchising in analyzing your systems and documenting your business model will make your existing business even stronger!

Franchise Development & Marketing Group is unique in the franchise consultation business because we become your partner throughout the entire franchise process. Our fee structure is based on the philosophy that by taking qualified franchise clients, and investing our time and talents at the outset, we will make money when you make money (when franchises are sold), which is the way it should be. That is why our initial fee is a fraction of the cost of traditional franchise consulting and legal fees.

2. How is your business doing?

FDG is expanding through franchising across the US with offices now in more than 10 states in just 2 years. Our recent successes have included client franchise offerings in food, retail, service businesses, home based businesses. We recently had 3 client concepts that made it to Shark Tank finals with the franchise offering, one funded $650K, all doing incredibly well selling master franchises, area developer agreements and individual franchisees as well. Our 2013 revenue has far exceeded original projections and is putting us on a very fast growth path.

3. What gets you going?

We are always enthusiastic to sign a unique business model that is first to market as a franchise offering.

4. What are your products or services, and key benefits?

We provide legal, documentation, marketing and sales services to our franchise clients. We are a professional group of businessmen, business owners, franchise attorneys, business and franchise brokers, financial advisors, marketing and advertising advisors, digital media experts, sales people, real estate brokers and more--every franchise resource. We have brought all this together to help businesses expand through what we believe is the best method of business expansion--franchising.

5. Who are your customers?

We have successfully franchised home based businesses, restaurants, retail businesses, service businesses, professional and internet based services. Many different concepts and business models lend themselves well to expansion through franchising.

My local office in Anaheim, CA enables me to meet and work with you on a personal level, discussing your business growth plans and determining with you if franchising is a desirable method of expansion for your business. My philosophy is that of creating an "atmosphere of partnership" with our selected clients so that as our clients grow, their success becomes our success. And if you are not in the California area, we have over 10 offices across the country to serve your needs!

6. How do you find new customers? Or customers find you?

Our customers usually come to us by referral from current clients, professional service providers or franchise brokers.

7. What is your biggest challenge? What help do you need to overcome this?

Our biggest challenge is finding the perfect candidates for our clients to award franchises to. There is a lot of buyer interest out there – but not everyone with check in hand is the right candidate for our clients.

8. What are your 2013 goals? Did you kill them?

Our 2013 goals are to franchise a real game changing business that will represent a paradigm shift in consumer habits. We are working on one now!

9. Can you share some tips with our community?

Franchising is often overlooked as growth strategy as many business owners are led to believe that franchising requires multiple current units or high initial costs but both are incorrect. A successful business model may lend itself well to franchising if it is duplicatable, marketable and affordable among other criteria. In particular low start up cost, low overhead, high profit margin businesses are particularly good candidates.